Expansible pulley.



No. 745,381. I PATENTED DEC. 1, 1903. W. A. PETERS & B. MAY.

EXPANSIBLE-PULLEY.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, 31, 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented December 1, 1903.

PATENT 7 OFFICE.

WILLIAM ARTHUR PETERS, OE BONHAM, AND REYNOLDS MAY, WHITEWRIGHT, TEXAS.

EXPANSIBLE PU LLEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 745,381, datedDecember 1, 1903.

Application filed March 31, 1903. Serial No. 150,467. (No model.)

To ttZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM ARTHUR PETERS, residing at Bonham, countyof Fannin, and REYNOLDS MAY, residing at Whitewright, county of Grayson,State of Texas, citizens of the United States, have invented a new anduseful Expansible Pulley, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to expansible pulleys, and has for its object toprovide an expansible pulley of simple construction which may beexpanded or contracted easily and which will possess great durability.

The invention consists, generally speaking, in a disk having a pluralityof belt-supporting segments mounted so as to be slidable radially on thedisk and means for adjusting said belt-supporting segments on the disks,said means comprising racks provided upon the belt-supporting segmentsand gear-segments in engagement with said racks, together with meansforimparting movement to said gear-segments.

.In its preferred form the invention consists of the construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and shown in thedrawings accompanying this specification and forming a part thereof, inwhich corresponding parts are designated by the same characters ofreference throughout both views in which they appear.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the pulley with thesegments shown in solid lines as contracted and in dotted lines asexpanded. Fig. 2 is a section through the pulley on adiameter thereof,the supporting-shaft being shown for the most part in elevation and partbeing broken away to show the key by means of which the pulley issecured to the shaft.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, 1 designates a shaftupon which is rigidly mounted a disk 2, having a plurality ofradiallydisposed slots 3, preferably eight in number, which extend frompoints near the shaft 1 to points adjacent to the periphery of the disk.Mounted in the slots 3 are sliding members 4, each comprising abelt-supporting segment 5, bosses 6, upon which the belt-supportingsegments are carried, and racks 7, disposed upon the opposite side ofthe disk 2 from the belt-supporting segments 4. The disk 2 has a hub 8provided with slots 9, which register with the slots 3 provided in thedisk and afford guides for the inner ends of the bosses 6, supportingthe belt-supporting segments. The hub 8 is provided with a keyway forthe insertion of a key 10, which also enters a keyway provided in theshaft 1, and so forms means for rigidly 6o securing the disk 2 inposition on said shaft.

The slidable members 4 should preferably be formed in two parts, whichmay be secured together in any desired manner, one

part comprising a rack 7 and the portion of the slidable member whichlies in a slot in the disk 2, the other section comprising abelt-supporting segment and the boss upon which it rests. The object ofmaking each of the sliding members of two parts will be readilyunderstood. The portion which lies in each slot is narrower than therack formed integral therewith or the belt-su pportin g segment securedto it in any suitable way. Owing to this relation in width of the partsof each of the slidable members, it would be impossible to insert saidmembers in their slots if they were formed integral; but by making eachmember in two parts it is possible to introduce the section which movesin the slot and carries with it the rack attached thereto and afterwardto attach the section which carries the belt-supporting segments. Wheninserted into the slots in this manner, the

slidable members are securely held in the slots and cannot becomeaccidentally removed therefrom.

On the rear face of the disk 2 at suitable points there are provided aplurality of brackets 11, affording bearings for shafts 12, to

the sleeve 1% remote from the disk 2 there is provided in a groove 14,formed on the sleeve, a collar 15, to which is firmly secured, by meansof screws 16, the bifurcated end of a lever 17forimparting inovementtosaid sleeve longitudinally of the shaft 1.

The operation of the expansible pulley will be readily understood fromthe foregoing description and an inspection of the drawings. When thesleeve 14 is moved away from the disk 2 into the position indicated indotted lines, the gear-segments 13 will be partially rotated, andthrough their engagement with the sliding members 4: said members willbe moved to the inner ends of the slots in which they are mounted, thuscontracting the pulley. When the sleeve 14 is movedinto contact with thedisk 2, (indicated in full lines in Fig. 1,) an opposite movement of thegearsegments takes place, and the sliding members 4 will be moved to theoutward limits of their guide-slots The pulley hereinbefore described isintended for use with another pulley of similar design, which is to beso connected with its fellow that the expansion of one will always beaccompanied by the contraction of the other, thus keeping the samedegree of tension upon the belt at all times regardless of theadjustment of the belt-supporting segments upon the pulleys. When thetwo expansible pulleys are placed near together, a convenient form ofconnection to insure the operation just mentioned is found in theopcrating-lever for each pulley. It a single lever is to be used tooperate both pulleys, the sleeve of one pulley is secured to one end ofthe lever, the sleeve of the other pulley being secured to the other endof the lever.

In the drawings the belt-supporting segments are shown as provided withgrooves for the reception of rope belting or the like; but it is obviousthat the belt-supporting segments may be given other forms suitable todifferent forms of belting, if desired. It is to be understood that wedo not wish to be limited to the exact form, proportions, or mode ofassemblage of the elements hereinbefore described, and shown in theaccompanying drawings, but reserve the right to make changes thereinWhichdo not depart from the spirit of the invention and lie within thescope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, What We claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in an expansible pulley of a disk, a plurality ofbelt-supporting segments With radially-disposed stems slidably mountedon said disk, a rack provided on the stem of each belt-supportingsegment, a gear disposed in a plane at right angles to said disk in meshwith each of said racks, and means for imparting movement to said gearsto move said belt-supporting segments radially on the face of said disk.

2. In an expansible pulley, the combination of a disk having a pluralityof belt-supporting segments with radially-disposed stems slidablymounted on said disk, a rack provided on the stem of each of saidbelt-supporting segments, a segmental gear disposed in a plane at rightangles to said disk in mesh with each of said racks, and means forrocking said gears to impart movement to said beltsupporting segmentsradially of said disk.

3. In an expansible pulley, the combination of a disk having a pluraltyot radially-disposed slots extending therethrough, a plurality ofbelt-supporting segments having radial stems mounted to slide in saidslots, arack on each of said stems, a gear disposed in a plane at rightangles to said disk in mesh with each of said racks, and means forrocking said gears to impart movement to said belt-supporting segmentsradially of said disk.

4:. In an expansible pulley,the combination of a disk having a pluralityof radially-disposed slots, a plurality of belbsupporting segments eachhaving a stem slidablymounted in one ofsaid slots, a rack provided oneach of said stems and lying upon the opposite side of said disk fromsaid belt-support ing segments, a gear disposed in a plane at rightangles to said disk in mesh with each of said lugs, and means forrocking said gears to move said belt-supporting segments radially ofsaid disk.

5. In an expansible pulley, the combination of a disk having a pluralityof radially-disposed slots closed at either end, a plurality ofbelt-supporting segments with stems slidably mounted in said slots, arack secured to each of said stems, a gear disposed in a plane at rightangles to said disk in mesh with each of said racks, and means forsimultaneously rocking said gears to impart movement to saidbelt-supporting segments radially of said disk.

6. In an expansible pulley, the combination of a shaft, a disk rigidlymounted thereon, said disk having a plurality of radially-disposedslots, a plurality of belt-supporting segments having stems radiallymounted in said slots, a rack secured to each of said stems, a geardisposed in a plane at right angles to said disk in mesh with each ofsaid racks, a sleeve slidably mounted on said shaft and provided withcircumferential ridges forming a rack in mesh with each of said gears,and means for sliding said sleeve upon said shaft to impart movement tosaid belt-supporting segments radially of said disk.

7. In an expansible pulley, the combination of a shaft, a disk rigidlymounted thereon and having a plurality of radially-disposed slotsextending therethrough, a plurality of beltsupporting segments havingstems slidably mounted in said slots, a rack secured to each of saidstems, a gear disposed in a plane at right angles to said disk in meshwith each of said racks, a sleeve slidably mounted on said shaft andhaving a plurality of circumferential ridges forming a rack inengagement with all of said gears, a collar rotatably mounted on saidsleeve, and a lever connected with said collar and forming means wherebysaid sleeve may be moved longitudinally of said shaft to expand orcontract; the pulley.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoaffixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM ARTHUR PETERS. REYNOLDS MAY.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. SPARGER, T. J. BABB.

